This Is a Screwy Time for Optimism, Isn't It?

This would seem a screwy time for optimism. We're riding the edge of a double-dip recession, with political backbiting and the abdication of America abroad both militarily and politically. It is worth noting, then, that at this moment, a trend toward optimism among astute observers of both domestic and international issues is rising like a series of bubbles. The following is by no means complete, but drawn mainly from the ranks of well-known skeptics. And the natural disclaimer is that in many cases, strong American leadership and the public confidence that stems from it are required to hit the happy outcome.
Michael Ledeen, Freedom Scholar at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies and longtime Iran watcher, points to upheaval in Syria and Iran and cheers the possibilities. "The defeat of Assad and Khamenei would be a world-changing event, pulling the plug on the ominous strategic alliance that runs from Tehran and Damascus to countries quite...(Read Full Post)